The present disclosure is related to a method and apparatus for positioning a patient during spinal surgery. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to a method and apparatus for positioning a patient in a prone position for posterior access to the spine and moving the patient to a laterally angled position for anterior access to the spine.
In spinal surgeries, surgeons access the anterior of the spine to remove a disk or other bone structure. The removed bone structure is replaced with a spacer referred to in the art as a cage. In some cases, it may be necessary to access the posterior of the spine to install fixation hardware such as screws and rods. With access to both sides of the spine being required in a single procedure, the patient is positioned in either a lateral or a supine position for the anterior approach. The patient is then repositioned in a prone position on a device that allows the abdomen to hang freely in a decompressed state.
Repositioning of the patient generally requires that the patient be moved relative to a supporting device, such as an operating table, for example. Such repositioning requires considerable effort on the part of caregivers to move the patient without complicating the procedure.